The invention relates to a transliteration of code words of a code having m-place code words into the corresponding code words of a different code likewise having m-place code words.
For the purpose of forwarding or processing of information in digital communications technology and in data processing technology as well, such information is represented by a digital signal composed of sequences of so-called code words. The code words under given conditions can be obtained from an underlying analog signal by means of constantly repeated sampling, quantization, and coding. Such code words then correspond to the respective analog signal sampling value.
There are two CCITT recommendations for the relationship between the analog signal values of a telephone analog signal and the code words of a corresponding telephone digital signal. These usually are referred to as A-law and .mu.-law, and both respectively approximate a logarithmic quantization interval/analog signal value companding characteristic by means of a segment-wise, linear steep-drop characteristic curve. Although the steep-drop characteristic curve following the so-called A-law can be realized in a digital-to-analog converter in a particularly favorable manner in terms of circuit technology with the assistance of a so-called R-2R-network fed with a constant current, the .mu. characteristic, which is not as simple to realize, is nonetheless preferred in some countries. The consequence of this is that different coders/decoders must be provided for communication devices which are identical per se under given conditions but which are employed in different countries, this being accompanied by a reduction of the respectively required unit numbers not desired for large scale integration, or, on the other hand, that, proceeding from a uniform codec, an additional transliteration of the output or input bits must be effected by means of an arithmetic unit.